Cab-coupling



A. P. CHATHAM.

Car Coupling.

Patented Nov. 1, 1853. I

r\ W l as g NFETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER VIASHMGTON D C UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

A. P. GHATHAM, OF CANOGA, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 10,176, dated November 1, 1853.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, A. P. CHATHAM, of Canoga, in the county of Senecaand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, whichforms part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view inperspective of my improved coupling, and Fig.2 1s a longltudinal sectionof the same.

My improved coupling consists of two buffers (A and B), havingrectangular faces (an) they are made of iron or other materialsufficiently strong to resist the shock of the collision between thecars when they meet, and are coupled by an iron lmk (C) that is held toits place in the buffer A by a bolt or pin (D). Bot-h buffers are madewith cavities in them for the insertion of the connecting link (C), andthe cavity of the buffer B has a draft hook or catch (F) which is formedor cast in one plece with the buffer; the front edge of this catchinclines upward and backward until it rises nearly to the top of thecavity and the back edge inclines in the opposite direction to cause itsupper extremity (0) to overhang its base, so that the draft link (C) maytend to keep down at the base of the hook and obviate any tendency touncouple. The inclined plane or face (01.) of the hook raises the frontend of the link (C) as it enters the cavity of the buffer B and conducts it over the upper extremity (0), the link striking the top of thecavity, when its gravity will cause it to drop behind the catch F, andthe cars become coupled. Thus, it is merely necessary, in order toconnect two cars (fitted with my coupling) to place the link C in thecavity of the buffer A, its one end projecting into a recess (a') andthe pin D inserted to hold the link to the buffer A;then, by running thecars toward one another the projecting end of the link (lyinghorizontal) strikesthe hook F, and (assisted by the shock produced bythe collision of the cars) is guided and dropped over the hook asdescribed, and as there is barely room for the link C to pass over thecatch F without being sprung, it is effectually protected from becomingdetached from the catch while the cars are running, except it be raised(as shown in red lines Fig. 2) and the buffers be nicely adjusted insuitable positions and force be applied to the link to push it towardthe buffer A while the buffer B is moved in the opposite direction,aconcurrence of circumstances which it is highly improbable will everhappen while cars (thus coupled) are in motion.

The cars are uncoupled by withdrawing the pin D and moving the car towhich the buffer A is attached until the link (C) is withdrawn from thecavity of that buffer; the end of the link now projecting from thebuffer B is depressed until its opposite end passes over the catch (F)when the link is withdrawn from the buifer B, after which it should bereinserted in the buffer A and the pin D replaced.

The buffer A, it will be observed, is constructed generally, in asimilar manner to the buffer B, with the exception however that the backend of its cavity is closed up to support the inner end of the link (C)when its opposite end is being pushed over the catch F. The link ismaintained in a horizontal position in the buffer A, when it is aboutbeing attached to the buffer B, by means of a small projection (a) orthe recess (a) in the back part of the buifer A, within which recess (a)the inner end of the link C is placed in order to make room for the pinD, that passes down immediately in front of it and through the top andbottom plates of the buffer. A short distance in front of the bolt D, onthe edge of the face of the buffer A, is a small snug G that serves toprevent the cars from separating by the recoil if run together while thepin D is removed preparatory to uncoupling. Both buffers (A and B) arefastened to the car frames in the usual manner by bolts passing throughthe straps projecting from their back extremities.

Having thus described my improved car coupling, what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Constructing the buffer A with a recess a to hold the link C in theproper position for entering the buffer B, and the bufier B with acavity and an inclined draft catch (F) lessened While the coupling issimple, cheap extending to nearly the top of its cavity, 50 and notliable to get out of order. 0 that When a link C is connected to thebuffer In testimony whereof I have hereunto A and passed over the catch(F) of the subscribed my name.

-' bufier B, it cannot jump up and become de- A. P. CHATHAM.

tached from the catch, whereby While the Witnesses: cars are in motionthe danger of the cars JAMES R. JOYNER, being separated While running isgreatly JAMES F. TURNER.

